All- Millard Concert: Madness, fun, and music band together

Amy Heyer Managing Editor

MillardWest’s main gym bleachers were packed tothe brim on Jan. 24 with parents awaiting the start of the AllMillard Music Festival concert. Chairs lined every inch of available wall space, the huge choir was robed and ready, and the 240-person orchestra was inposition for the downbeat.

Each year, the orchestras and choirs from the three Millard high schools come together tocelebrate music. Parents, teachers, and directors expressed theirthoughts on the importance ofmusic programs inschools. A different school hosts the festival each year.

All three of the Millard high schools’ varsity choirs and orchestras had been preparing forthe clinicand for the evening’s concert as much as possible. However, many of theschoolswerenot asfamiliarwith themusic astheywould like to have been. For example, Millard South’schoirwas on the rebound from a performance with Opera Omaha and the Omaha Symphony that had taken place lessthan a week before, and many ofthe groups had recently prepared holiday concerts.

“For awhile, itwas ahuge frenzy and complete madness, but think we pulled it off quite well,” said senior choir member Florence Choi.

All the same, there was plenty of time torehearse the day of the concert. Not only isAll-Millard aperformance, but it is a clinic that gives students a different type of performance experience. From the time the orchestra rehearsal began shortly after eight, Conductor and Clinician Vince LaGuardia, a Colorado conductor of the Apapahoe Philharmonic, worked with students to improve and fine tune each piece. He brought new and different techniques to the clinic. because of the high number of students making schedule changes that require multiple adjustments, thereby causing many classes to be quite full when others could accommodate more.

“TThe conductor] had a very unique conducting style and liked to change the tempo without warming,” senior cellist Rosemary Burke said.

Around eleven, the choir arrived and the two groups rehearsed Battle Hymn of the Republic, which would be the finale of the evening. The orchestras headed back to class, and the three choirs were given the opportunity to work with Marjorie Simons-Bester, who works as Choral Director at Bellevue East High School.

The gym at Millard West was used for the clinic all day, and parents from the school assisted students with concessions during break.

Some students who are involved in both Orchestra and Varsity Choir were at Millard West all day. The intense rehearsal day was taxing according to one Millard South student.

“Tt was draining. I think I got really sick, and my body felt like a wet noodle. I never want to go to Millard West again,” junior violinist and choir member Jeneva Newman said.

“Staff are hired on-the basis of student enrollment in certain classes,” said Guidance Counselor Mrs. Harrach. “If too many students change their schedules, it leads to the overstaffing of some teachers, as well as the understaffing of others.”

Any changes to the total number of students who have signed up for a class affects how many sections are really needed. The decision of how many sections are needed is made after advisement in February and is not changed over the summer or in the middle oftheschoolyear.

Students who want afullscheduleshouldbequitecertainwhen they registerthatthosearethecoursesthey trulywant totakenextyear.Students who want astudyhallshouldalsoregister for eight classes and they can choose todrop aclassbased on their interests and abilities and stillhave a

These rules are being enforced study hall.